Compare towns
Saco vs Ellsworth vs Brewer vs Windham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Saco has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.3%).
Ellsworth has the most affordable homes ($242k median).
Brewer has the shortest commute (17 min average).
Windham has the highest household income ($108k).
What matters to you?
Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.
| Measure | Saco | Ellsworth | Brewer | Windham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 20,819Highest |
8,657Lowest |
9,652 |
19,188 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+8.5% ME: +2.6% |
+2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+8.4% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 44.9±1.5Highest about the ME average |
43±2.4 4% below ME |
40.1±4.8Lowest 10% below ME |
41.8±1.8 7% below ME |
| Saco and Ellsworth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 16.7%±2.5Lowest ME: 18.1% |
18.4%±3.5 ME: 18.1% |
20.9%±4.3Highest ME: 18.1% |
19.2%±2.7 ME: 18.1% |
| Brewer and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 18.5%±2.1 ME: 22.4% |
22.1%±3.3 ME: 22.4% |
22.4%±3.6Highest ME: 22.4% |
15.9%±2.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Brewer and Ellsworth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 43.5% ME: 36.2% |
39.3% ME: 36.2% |
35%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
44.2%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.2%±1.2 ME: 5.8% |
5.3%±2 ME: 5.8% |
7.7%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±1.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Brewer and Ellsworth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $92,241±$11k 23% above ME |
$77,375±$18k 4% above ME |
$66,613±$9kLowest 11% below ME |
$107,934±$14kHighest 44% above ME |
| Windham and Saco are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $413,100±$17kHighest 39% above ME |
$242,300±$22kLowest 18% below ME |
$245,300±$21k 17% below ME |
$388,900±$22k 31% above ME |
| Saco and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,249±$385Highest 10% above ME |
$1,017±$195Lowest 11% below ME |
$1,086±$54 5% below ME |
$1,232±$332 8% above ME |
| Saco and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,807Highest 58% above ME |
$3,262Lowest 7% above ME |
$3,374 11% above ME |
$3,938 30% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.3%±14 ME: 48.4% |
62.1%±15.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
55.7%±13.3 ME: 48.4% |
32.7%±14.7Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Ellsworth and Brewer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 6.4% ME: 10.7% |
9.3% ME: 10.7% |
12.5%Highest ME: 10.7% |
3.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.8% ME: 74.3% |
66.7% ME: 74.3% |
59.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
84.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
1959Lowest 18 yrs older than ME |
1985Highest 8 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 3% below ME |
25 min about the ME average |
17 minLowest 31% below ME |
26 minHighest 7% above ME |
| Work from home | 19%±3.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
7.1%±2.8 ME: 15.9% |
6.9%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
19%±4.1Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #38 of 133 in ME | #63 of 133 in ME | #32 of 133 in ME | #95 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Saco Public Schools | Ellsworth Public Schools | Brewer Public Schools | RSU 14 |
| High school in town | None in town | Ellsworth High School | Brewer High School | Windham High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.7 |
14.0Highest |
12.1Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
ME average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.